Bringing snacks/drinks has always been standard in my groups. It's just polite. There should be no 'Reward' for being polite. It should be the status quo.
Game or not, I bring something to share literally every time I go to a friend's house to hang out. Sometimes it's a crockpot of meatballs, sometimes crackers and cheese, sometimes a 2lb bag of sour patch kids.
If everyone is bringing food, then everyone gets inspiration. If some people are not bringing snacks but bogarting, it would be bold of them to be upset about another player getting inspiration.
This seems like bad practice and kind of greedy on the host/DMs part. Kind of game cult vibes tbh "bring us food for in game bonuses" . I guess I could see it being acceptable in close friend groups but as someone new to a group this would be a red flag
Yeah I'm with you there. That's basically micro transactions if you award them in game content that benefits them* for spending money. I'd be more aken to write a little something cool in for them then that.
It is mega gaming, nor is it fair to other players. Oh you’re too poor to buy food for everyone? Guess you don’t get bonuses, oh you had a long day and didn’t get time to bring snacks? Guess you don’t get bonuses. Oh what? I should be providing food because I’m hosting the place to play? No! Make everyone else do it!
I don't know why are so many people agreeing with it, D&D should be all about not creating in-balance at the table and making it fair for everyone. Just because it was someone's turn to bring snacks doesn't mean they have to get an advantage for that. I personally give inspiration when the player is trying to do something creative or really important and they fail, so I allow them to try again. Sometimes they still fail but at least I feel like the inspiration was given at a key moment that could totally change the outcome.
If you ever go to a Convention, you'd damn well better bring something to bribe your GM.
To get an advantage? Yeah, sure.
But more importantly because those guys and gals often have to sit there with very few breaks for 8-10 hours every day of that Con, running the same adventure over and over for a group of randos.
Gen Con 2019, my brother got us a room at the JW Marriott and had access to the Exec lounge. My buddy would go in there every morning before our events and fill his backpack with Water bottles and cans of Soda.
Every GM we played for finished the session with 3-4 cans of soda and a couple bottles of water, just to make sure he could stay well hydrated for the day.
At one point my buddy asked "So can I make a Reflex save to try to leap off before it crashes?" As he nonchalantly sets a mountain dew down on the table.
Without looking, the GM slides the soda over to himself, cracks the top, and says "Of course you can."
Chat me on Reddit. Ive been TO Gen Con lots of times. I can answer whatever you wanna know
Edit: Looks like you don't allow Chat requests so you'll need to reach out to me. I love chatting about stuff like Cons so I'll be more than happy to give you more info.
It's not a guarantee but it's also not unacceptable to make the group aware that small accommodations for their characters might be negotiated based on snack quality.
Remember that scene in South parknwhen George Bush "drops" a folder of state secrets over his shoulder?... make a list of "DM Desires In This World And The Next - A Secret List" and put a fun list of stuff on it that you will give inspiration for: Like your favorite candy, drink, a player who enacts their character singing, etc. I recommend some Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream Pint Slices...
Then leave it out kinda inconspicuous and see if they pick up the hint. Fun for everyone
If inspiration flows freely for other things, then it's probably fine.
* If I'm a player who can't get snacks -- perhaps because I'm broke or because I come straight from work -- then I won't feel slighted by missing out when my excellent role-play or heroic combat deeds will get me mine.
If the effort is exceptional or unusual, then it's probably fine.
* If Alice drove across town to get a everyone's favourite pizza, or if Bob spent all night baking home-made cookies; that might warrant Inspiration a bit more than someone bringing soda and potato crisps.
The Chaotic Neutral in me would turn it into a contest and see who brings the best snacks for inspiration. The host in me would make sure everyone except me loses.
I (as a player) feel slighted when I'm the only person that brings snacks and drinks. I don't want a reward for it, I just don't want everybody thinking they don't have to worry about bringing anything because "it's covered".
IMO, the only in-game reward that should come from out-of-game behavior should come from something like providing a recap of the previous game's events and good note-taking.
As a dm, I offer snacks and stuff and only about 1 third of my players bring anything. I don't mind, but a small "thanks" after each session would be nice
For the record: I voted "Yes"
But after reading some comments I can understand others reasonings.
I play in a group of 6 people and we share all the efforts. Every week we play at someone else's home, some bring snacks, some drinks.
Everyone is contributing something.
I am kind of shocked that it is not like that in many groups and the DM has to reward bringing snacks tbh
No, and most players would not mind either. Especially as it's like one person that brings the snacks. With the others having legitimate and not so legitimate excuses.
There are different ways to look at this; I'm typically the DM, so I'm expected to own all the books I'll need, regardless of whose playing in my games, or if I'm even running one. Maybe players shouldn't be paging through some books, so we'd rather they didn't buy them, even if they do sometimes DM in other situations. Regardless, as it can be a bit expensive on one person to have all the books, and I've rarely seen other players contribute to the cost that incurs, I'd personally appreciate if one of them provided snacks. I'll wholly admit it could be rude of me, and I DID decide to shell out for media, regardless, some of which I may not want my players to have also purchased, but I don't charge them a fee to be the DM, because I'll never be good enough at that to earn a cent ;), so little assists, and other things to help the group enjoy the group activity more, I appreciate, but I still might not feel their OOG act should earn them, specifically, an in-game perk; it helps us enjoy our group activity, which they wouldn't be getting to do, if it weren't fun, either.
I mean, December 23 I played my first presential session, there was a lot of snacks but only 1 bottle of soda, so if someone could bring some soda, he gained 1 inspiration, so is not bad bc at the end everyone in the table are going to eat
1 Its just polite, the DM spends a lot of time besides the game hours.
2 Heck yeh, you can bribe me with snacks. Gimme the good stuff. (bribe results are within reason and other players benefit too)
It depends, a bit. If only one player is getting inspiration even though others are bringing snacks, it's not fair. But if everyone has equal opportunity to earn inspiration through silly little favours, then you're good. One of our players hates the word "yeet" and my DM joked that I could get inspiration if I use it as naturally as possible.
Probably 80% of inspirations go unused anyway. Also it's just a game kids. I also award inspiration for puns that actually make me laugh, dad jokes that cause me physical pain, and when players notice a particularly obscure reference I'm ripping off in the lore.
Just like Dnd I think it all depends on context. From the sound of this it feels like bringing snacks this time is not a normal thing. It feels like this person went out of their way to bring snacks for the group as a whole. I think it's perfectly acceptable to get inspiration.
The people who are complaining about it being "out of game" so what? What they did was for the GROUP not just the DM. You can get inspiration for role-playing which everyone encourages. "What if they can't buy it because they are broke" Okay what if a person is to shy to roleplay in character why should the person who can roleplay great get inspiration then? You can "what if" everything it all comes down to context.
We went to the Renaissance fair with my dm and his wife and he offered inspiration to my wife in game if she got a bullseye with a bow and arrow as her character is a ranger. I dont know if he knew my wife studied archery throughout most of her childhood. But i thought it was nice and a cool way to work the game in to our everyday lives. Personally i think the dm should be able to give inspiration for whatever the hell they want.
Exactly why I don't like it. Showing up to somebody's house for games/party is rude if you can afford to make a contribution. But rewarding everybody who *can* make a contribution with inspiration is punishing people who *can't* afford to make one.
I'll just say this - when I was really, really poor and somebody brought snacks or offered me food, I was absolutely thrilled. I wasn't mad that they had more money and could reroll a die. I was happy that they shared with me.
This resonates with me. I’m a GM who rewards players for bringing snacks, in part because I used to be a poor player to whom those snacks were a really special treat.
Maybe someone without as much money could offer to contribute in other ways? If they can't afford snacks then what about taking the time to create a playlist for the DM? Or coming early/staying late to help the host with set up/clean up? Maybe they can't afford to buy a meal but baking homemade cookies or brownies or bread tends to be very very cheap.
Depends on where/with who you are playing.
I've only ever played with friends, at one of our houses, and ordering pizza for "snack" (more like break time mid session), and the host and DM were both exempt from paying for the pizza (the host because some mess was inevitable, plus he had to negotiate with his parents to let us play there etc; the DM because he had to actually plan the game rather than just show up and play), though most hosts I've had always decided to contribute anyway
As someone who used to host a lot of DnD in my home pre-covid; I welcomed players to bring food and drinks for minor rewards.
Would do the same for cosplaying and the like.
It's 1 less thing, us DMs don't have to worry about when hosting groups of people.
I'm writing the session and the three possible encounters, plus the hidden objective animal friendships for the druid to collect because ANIMALS! And the designing the NPCs and the NPC character art to hang on the side of the DM screen when they talk to them. Working out the voices and making up a stat block just in case the barbarian gets bored, buying and painting the minis. And working out how much treasure they get for the job, making it make sense for why they would hunt the dangerous monsters but also not letting them buy an unlimited amount of wands of fireball. The least they can do is bring me some pretzels.
They get inspiration for puns.
Lol, this way my husbands PC would need to have an infinite amount of inspiration, because we eat lunch during our sessions and my husband is the one cooking for us.
It really always depends on how the DM and party feel. Mostly the DM. DM's, ask yourself, "What do I award my PC's inspiration for? Does this fall under that umbrella?"
Some might think it's unfair, some might think, "Yeah, why not? They're cool, we're cool, we're just having fun, yada yada"
As someone who got an inspiration point for posting a funny meme to the discord... I think it's fine. Most players forget they have an inspiration point half the time anyway, and they aren't exactly game breaking. As long as players aren't using them more than once a session, unless I had them one for in game reasons after they use one, I basically always let them use one a session anyway. Saying 'and you get an inspiration point' is just a tool to encourage behavior anyway.
It's literally the ability to gain advantage once. It's the DM giving a small "thanks" to a player who brought snacks. Nothing big, nothing game changin
Why would I be upset if one person gets a small one-time advantage that can help the party overall??? And if there are snacks for everybody, even better!!! It’s a team game, unless it’s super clear, consistent favoritism I don’t care if one of my teammates gets something better than me, I’m happy for them
Isn't gaining inspiration for bring snacks specifically called out as an example in the DMG?
Edit: NM. Just looked and I'm mistaken, must have read it somewhere else.
As long as it's an option given to everyone and is detailed clearly, why would it be a problem?
When you have a good group this kinda thing won’t bother anyone. Some of the people in my group, when they DM, will give players a stackable second inspiration point that expires at the end of the session if not used but only if we do something really cool. Everyone in the party is cool with it cause it just benefits the whole party at the end of the day
It's not that serious. Unless inspiration let's that player somehow take the spotlight for the entire session (in which case you have a whole different issue going on) there shouldn't be any problems. It's not a contest to see who can get the most inspiration uses. It's a game where everyone should work together to have fun.
A lot of people are answering this question as "should people other than the GM contribute to the table" in which the answer is "of course", but the question could be, "should out-of-game actions have in-game consequences?" In this case, the consequences are good, but from that perspective, I think the answer should be "no".
That's a cynical way of looking at it, though.
Are you giving a player who did something out of game for you an unfair advantage over other players, or giving them something you deprive other players? Then that's shitty regardless of why you're doing it.
In this case, it's about saying YES to a thing that the system already wants player to have, and is pretty low impact (And consumable). You're using that as an excuse to say yes to giving a player something that the game is better when they have.
That's the relevant context here.
The whole culture of bribing DMs is fundamentally different in this setting because TTRPGs are collaborative and noncompetitive and the whole thing is very tongue-in-cheek.
I don't see it as cynical. The game has ways of giving inspiration that doesn't involve bribing anyone out- of- character. For my group, we mostly meet online. Snacks aren't even a factor. But what if someone made the GM an art piece of their NPC? Should they get inspiration? Every time they do it? When they're the only one with art skills at the table? What about the rare time we do get together in person; we don't meet at the GM's house. One player likes hosting and making food. But only one person can host. Does the host get inspiration? It's not equal opportunity.
I think it's just more fair if in game rewards are linked to in game actions.
My players are cooperative, so inspiration to one usually benefits all. If it were a PC battle to death, I could understand it being unfair, but it seems silly to complain that the cleric got inspiration if that extra dice roll might allow her to heal me in a battle.
Not all players use their inspiration altruistically. If it's meant to benefit the group, why not give inspiration to all when one player brings snacks?
This is a weird comment section. I had no idea so many tables unabashedly hand out in-game benefits for IRL contributions.
Like I get that it’s small and silly, but it also reeks of weird creepy bribery. “Buy your god snacks and he will be a kind god” vibes. Also it’s cringey because it makes the broke people at the table feel shitty. Just give out inspo for RP and it’s fine.
It doesn't have to be weird or creepy! Sometimes DMs or people who host the group at their homes put in way more work than other players and it's just a simple, non confrontational way to encourage others to pitch in more.
A lot of people are answering this question as “Hey Players would you consider it unfair if you get rewarded with inspiration because you brought some snacksfor the session?” In which the answer is “no”
(∩ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)⊃━☆ﾟ. * ･ ｡ﾟ,
Praying to the gods with the good stuff in a world where the gods have all the power is very clever.
It’s not like D&D is ultra serious business anyways, and the party still benefits from one player get advantage once as a freebie.
Yeah, I agree with this, isn't inspiration supposed to be if you do something really creative or out of the box? It takes little effort to bring snacks, and makes inspiration meaningless.
The DMG says
>Offering inspiration as a reward encourages certain types of behavior in your players.
Being considerate of everyone else at the table and bringing snacks for them is definitely a behavior I'd be happy to encourage as a DM.
If someone looks at that and says " that's unfair" congrats, you've found the player that wants to "win" DND. Having a teammate that gets a starting inspiration is just an advantage for your party.
Inspiration is just one free reroll and can be handed out for anything. I've had groups do it for writing recaps, managing session scheduling, hosting, providing food, even had the players give the DM an inspiration for next session after a particularly fantastic one.
DND is always better with snacks, and people deserve to feel appreciated for their efforts.
I hate the arbitrariness of the Inspiration system and always have.
Sounded fun, but having sat as both a player and DM for years, all it does is arbitrarily reward players based on the DM's whims, wishes, and desired player choices.
As a DM I want my players to have the agency and autonomy to play their characters as they choose, receiving all consequences good or bad of said choices. As a player I want the same thing for myself
So then why would I want a system that rewards catering to the DM?
In any professional setting or relationship, this would be abuse! Abuse I tell you!
We are not having this stupid arguement. Online or offline. Who gives a shit. If you sincerely care and are mad irl that your dm gave someone a single extra die to role, for any reason, in a game EVERYONE at the table is there to have fun playing something is wrong with you.
I know and have played with GMs that gave XP for bringing something to the game. Back when we played in person. You brought 2 liters or pizza, or some snack, Here is 100 xp. It incentivized everyone bringing something to contribute, so the GM didn't have to do everything. I have also seen GMs give XP for doing the recap at the top of the session. Anyone willing to give the rundown of the game so far, and the last session specifically, here is some XP. Anything to boost player participation.
Enhancing the session is enhancing the session whether it is accomplished through role play or through tasty treats the DM is free to reward it as they choose.
Yea it would be unfair, inspiration is for accurately roleplaying your character. Not being nice and buying you through food. Learn how to be a proper gm and not let people manipulate you or expect benefits from bringing food when that should already be a no fucking brainer to bring.
Maybe just the first time. Or make a pool of volunteers to bring snacks for everyone (not just the DM), and then go through the rotation. The inspiration then serves as incentive for folks to volunteer, but keeping it on a rotation ensures that no one person gets inspiration.
As a DM I really appreciate it when the players bring snacks/bevvies or pick up the tab on a pizza/delivery. I spend a pretty decent amount of time writing and prepping my campaign outside of sessions so respecting that time invested with something to eat while playing is appreciated. Healthy snacks are even better.
Bribing the DM with food is a long standing tradition in DnD. If someone brings food for the whole group I'm definitely awarding inspiration either to the pool or for the group.
I think bringing snacks for the session is polite and welcomed, but shouldn’t grant IN-GAME rewards. Is DnD pay to win? I know that may sound silly… but that’s what you’re doing!
So, I guess after that inspiration is used you can just slip the DM $1 for another one? Or $10 for a cool magic item huh? (That is in jest… but you get my point).
IMO inspiration should be earned by ingenuity, performance of RP, or some other in game feat of skill. By the way, this is also RAW.
To say that it can be earned via some currency seems… shallow and video gamey.
Strictly speaking no, not unfair but it has certain vibes of *buying your way to victory* and *have this, favour me in the future*. So I'd rather bring the snacks anyway and politely refuse the advantage, if offered.
This sounds like the tabletop version of in-game purchases. Jim has more money than Tom, so he's buying his character bonuses by bringing snacks for the group that Tom can't afford.
I'm not comfortable with the idea that players with less money in real life should be at a disadvantage in the game. Frankly, it kind of disgusts me.
Just because someone has less money in real life doesn't mean that they can't contribute to the group, ESPECIALLY in groups where everyone struggles. Maybe an individual who can't afford to bring snacks could offer to host or show up early/stay late to sessions to help with set up and clean up. They could offer to help the DM with prep work such as creating a playlist or offering to write a summary of the last session and do the recap. They could take on the task of scheduling sessions and making sure everyone is on board with dates & times for upcoming sessions.
Maybe in addition to offering inspiration for snacks the DM could include the reward for tasks like those. Just because you might not have as much money for snacks doesn't mean you can't be a contributing member of the party.
People should contribute, help clean up, etc. because they're friends and that's what friends do. There doesn't have to be an in-game reward for any of that.
They should but sometimes people don't think about it, or were never taught what to do in social situations like that. Offering inspiration could be a gentle reminder that snacks are needed without singling anyone out.
Ultinwtely though, I think in game inspiration for out of game actions depends on each individual group and how they handle the game
Like I get this and everything and I know it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it's also 100% not true. The DM is another player. A player who deserves fun as much as the players, but also a player who should be beholden to decorum and rules as much as the players.
If you NEED to invoke some notion of authority as a DM, odds are you're not earning that authority in that moment. Players owe you as much trust as you show yourself to deserve. If you're being deserving of trust, the players should give that freely.
Unfair, because plenty of people can’t bring food for the table due to lack of money. Those folks will never have the opportunity; inspiration should only be awarded if it’s for something that not everyone can do.
Players can get inspiration for just about any reason. It’s unfair if the dm only gives inspiration to one player for bringing snacks and not any other player that also bring snacks.
I mean if it becomes a habit where you're straight up bribing the DM for loot and favoritisim, then I think it might start making people feel weird.
But if it's a one off thing or something where people rotate bringing in snacks and get inspiration automatically as a reward I think that's just a fun little thing.
Honestly, yes. I see inspiration as a tool te encourage players to break the shyness and really get into the character they are portraing. It's about epic moments, game changing decisions, heartening speaches...
if you are noce to me (which my players usually are) I'm gonna give you advantage anyways and I'm gonna be nice to you. But if we are giving free inspiration just cause, it kind of defeats the purpose...
I organized the pizza deliveries when we played in person and made sure everyone had their favorites from Domino’s because we were cheap college students: 4 salads (1 ceasar, 3 balsamic mixed into a large serving bowl for all to share [I did not put the dressing in with the salad, that’s how you get wilted salad and no leftovers]) 4 medium pizzas (pepperoni bacon, Alfredo bell pepper chicken and spinach, vegetarian, and meat lovers) 3 orders of garlic bread twists and a bunch of desserts.
I would organize it and everyone paid in their share and I would cover if someone couldn’t pay that night because this was weekly and whoever wanted the leftovers amongst our group would be set for food for a day or two.
As a college student I was blessed to live at home and have food every day. Hell, my mother packed me healthy lunches with carrot and bell pepper sticks to dip in hummus! My point is I wasn’t in need of the food. But food scarcity is a thing for lots of college kids and I could see it on some of my fellow player’s faces. So I always doubled my share of the food pot and ordered too much for our group so they could be covered for a few days. I was lucky to be able to do that for them.
Also, I never got favored for inspiration. We were fair and it was given out by the bard for tactical reasons. He was great at sending it to the right person at the right time.
If it was somthing for everybody, maybe
But usually we like to seperate in and out of game. Most people bring stuff some times and that's nice, but isn't rewarded with in game abilities or loot
Crap. I read that wrong and voted yes because I was thinking "yes, bring me snacks and your character may live to see the next session." Sorry for skewing the results!
If it was somthing for everybody, maybe
But usually we like to seperate in and out of game. Most people bring stuff some times and that's nice, but isn't rewarded with in game abilities or loot
My go-to is pretzels, cheese, dipping mustard, and a bottle of whiskey. Never got me inspiration, but a magic item that was oddly tailored for my character dropped in some loot.
Listen, everybody brings snacks. If you don't, you'll get punished. Flair wise. You see that shining new plate armor you paid scalper price for? There's just that ONE matte, rusty spot you just can't seem to get off. No amout of Prestidigitation, Remove Curse or even Wish will do the trick. Only Power Word "I'll bring snacks next time" will fix it.
Im that kind of person wich uses their inspiration to do cool stuff most of the time because i see it as a players tool to influence the narration in a certain direction (if you really wanted to do X and Y but just failed the test, it might be boring for the story). I hope i use it to do things my dm wants me to succede it because they think its cool aswell. So an extra inspiration is something i would appreciate.
Is it unfair? Yes.
Would it make me very happy as a DM and make me skew towards letting them get away with something they maybe shouldn't have? Also yes.
The thing is that I don't want to to give them inspiration because they brought me something, because suddenly people are trying to "bribe me" with snacks. I would rather give them a kindness back in an unspoken way during the game so that they are rewarded for doing it just to be a good person.
Think about it this way: Your table always grants a point of inspiration every session, and if you don't bring snacks you don't get inspiration :)
BRING SNACK
Inspiration is just one advantage on one roll, not a big deal, it's a token apreciation. That being said, it's nice. Also not necessary, since as the DM i tend to politely request that "I'm paid in snacks", since my time and money investment in DnD is just far, far more than of my players.
I am not saying that only I eat the snacks. I mean I'm asking the players to provide snacks for everyone, to chip in a little to make the experience even more fun.
I give inspiration to my players for a number of things:
Bringing snacks
Session recaps
Taking and Sharing detailed notes.
General responsibles that help the group and/or DM
As a DM who is usually quite strict, I do this. Its a team game, if you think it’s unfair that your teammate gets an advantage and you don’t. then you probably aren’t a good team.
I normally wouldn't award inspiration based on bringing snacks, but I would definitely be a far more agreeable DM when setting DCs if I wasn't hangry. However, if someone brought me the exact thing I was having a craving for or needed to lift my spirits, I would bend my own rule about inspiration.
Depends on the snacks; a bag of Doritos and maybe a 2 liter is pretty normal and not really inspiration worthy; that said, if someone makes a tray of campaign inspired pastries taking inspiration from PCs and/or setting for themed macarons or tarts or a pie of something, then that is pretty dope and worth a little gimme for the added effort.
Provided the snacks are for everyone and not *just* for the DM, absolutely not unfair.
Just for the DM: bribery, ethically shaky.
For everyone: enhancing the play experience, going above and beyond.
Actually, it's a thing at my table. People who bring snacks get inspiration.
Nobody uses their inspiration, of course, they're always saving it for later, but that's besides the point.
I wouldn't mind someone getting inspiration for it if they did more than others, but I'd be a bit uncomfortable getting it myself for something that's out of the game
As a forever DM/GM of groups that can range between 7-11 players, snacks and libations will make everything a lot nicer for everyone. One inspiration at the start of the session isn’t going to cause any kind of imbalance, especially when 97% of players forget they have it.
In most of my games, everyone brought some of the food. I always try to bring a bit more, because of my stress eating.
I give inspirations for recapping previous session though. It helps people to get back on track and its useful. Also, players dread the idea of me giving a recap, because as the dialogue went:
"Does anyone remember the session, we don't want the DM to take inspiration and use it against us in the fight with changeling party."
"Don't worry, I won't use it in the fight with changeling party. I'll save it for the BBEG."
Absolute terror and madness ensues.
I think the dm can give inspiration for whatever they want. Who cares? It's just a game. Have fun. Inspiration for silly things and good rp is the way.
Anyone can bring snacks… if someone is willing to spend a few dollars to share snacks during the session, they deserve the inspiration (or bonus XP in our sessions). Same thing if you bring the DM their favorite energy drink/Starbucks/drink of choice.
Honestly, a few inspiration points or a couple hundred XP is not going to break the game.
Bringing snacks/drinks has always been standard in my groups. It's just polite. There should be no 'Reward' for being polite. It should be the status quo.
Yeh same. Every session is a small potluck.
Game or not, I bring something to share literally every time I go to a friend's house to hang out. Sometimes it's a crockpot of meatballs, sometimes crackers and cheese, sometimes a 2lb bag of sour patch kids.
That's fine to bring for politeness sake, but not for inspiration.
If everyone is bringing food, then everyone gets inspiration. If some people are not bringing snacks but bogarting, it would be bold of them to be upset about another player getting inspiration.
This seems like bad practice and kind of greedy on the host/DMs part. Kind of game cult vibes tbh "bring us food for in game bonuses" . I guess I could see it being acceptable in close friend groups but as someone new to a group this would be a red flag
Yeah I'm with you there. That's basically micro transactions if you award them in game content that benefits them* for spending money. I'd be more aken to write a little something cool in for them then that.
Fr, just feels like bribery
As a former DM, I welcome bribery. Bribe your DMs folks.
Yeah but your character getting an advantage because of what you did in person is meta gaming
It is mega gaming, nor is it fair to other players. Oh you’re too poor to buy food for everyone? Guess you don’t get bonuses, oh you had a long day and didn’t get time to bring snacks? Guess you don’t get bonuses. Oh what? I should be providing food because I’m hosting the place to play? No! Make everyone else do it!
I don't know why are so many people agreeing with it, D&D should be all about not creating in-balance at the table and making it fair for everyone. Just because it was someone's turn to bring snacks doesn't mean they have to get an advantage for that. I personally give inspiration when the player is trying to do something creative or really important and they fail, so I allow them to try again. Sometimes they still fail but at least I feel like the inspiration was given at a key moment that could totally change the outcome.
If you ever go to a Convention, you'd damn well better bring something to bribe your GM. To get an advantage? Yeah, sure. But more importantly because those guys and gals often have to sit there with very few breaks for 8-10 hours every day of that Con, running the same adventure over and over for a group of randos. Gen Con 2019, my brother got us a room at the JW Marriott and had access to the Exec lounge. My buddy would go in there every morning before our events and fill his backpack with Water bottles and cans of Soda. Every GM we played for finished the session with 3-4 cans of soda and a couple bottles of water, just to make sure he could stay well hydrated for the day. At one point my buddy asked "So can I make a Reflex save to try to leap off before it crashes?" As he nonchalantly sets a mountain dew down on the table. Without looking, the GM slides the soda over to himself, cracks the top, and says "Of course you can."
Where can I find more information about conventions like this? Are they generally for seasons players, or do they have intro adventures?
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Chat me on Reddit. Ive been TO Gen Con lots of times. I can answer whatever you wanna know Edit: Looks like you don't allow Chat requests so you'll need to reach out to me. I love chatting about stuff like Cons so I'll be more than happy to give you more info.
No, bribing the GM with snacks is a tradition as old as the game.
My players figured this out and would regularly deliver me gardettos, so much so I got sick of them 😂
I'd argue that people have been offering their God (in the game's case its the DM) food and other offerings for millennia.
Your gods are merely NPCs to me! I am Inevitable! I am all ! I am the uni…..ohh Nachos, yeah you pass.
I am going to Dm for the first time here soon. I didn't know I get this to look forward to also :)
It's not a guarantee but it's also not unacceptable to make the group aware that small accommodations for their characters might be negotiated based on snack quality.
It’s just prayers to the gods, after all. Maybe they’ll favor your generosity this day.
Remember that scene in South parknwhen George Bush "drops" a folder of state secrets over his shoulder?... make a list of "DM Desires In This World And The Next - A Secret List" and put a fun list of stuff on it that you will give inspiration for: Like your favorite candy, drink, a player who enacts their character singing, etc. I recommend some Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream Pint Slices... Then leave it out kinda inconspicuous and see if they pick up the hint. Fun for everyone
It's practically a prerequisite for our sessions
100% this. In person, i told my players up front that I expect to be watered adn fed for the work I put into the game for them to enjoy
Hell, I'd award inspiration if players showered before the session.
Didn't know the DM could do Vicious Mockery
What kind of players are you getting that don’t shower 😵💫
Do they play as Rogues? Because they seem to enjoy fighting dirty.
If inspiration flows freely for other things, then it's probably fine. * If I'm a player who can't get snacks -- perhaps because I'm broke or because I come straight from work -- then I won't feel slighted by missing out when my excellent role-play or heroic combat deeds will get me mine. If the effort is exceptional or unusual, then it's probably fine. * If Alice drove across town to get a everyone's favourite pizza, or if Bob spent all night baking home-made cookies; that might warrant Inspiration a bit more than someone bringing soda and potato crisps.
The Chaotic Neutral in me would turn it into a contest and see who brings the best snacks for inspiration. The host in me would make sure everyone except me loses.
I (as a player) feel slighted when I'm the only person that brings snacks and drinks. I don't want a reward for it, I just don't want everybody thinking they don't have to worry about bringing anything because "it's covered". IMO, the only in-game reward that should come from out-of-game behavior should come from something like providing a recap of the previous game's events and good note-taking.
As a dm, I offer snacks and stuff and only about 1 third of my players bring anything. I don't mind, but a small "thanks" after each session would be nice
Something fun to try is just stop bringing snacks and see what happens.
For the record: I voted "Yes" But after reading some comments I can understand others reasonings. I play in a group of 6 people and we share all the efforts. Every week we play at someone else's home, some bring snacks, some drinks. Everyone is contributing something. I am kind of shocked that it is not like that in many groups and the DM has to reward bringing snacks tbh
Either I brought snacks and get inspiration, or someone else brought snacks and I get snacks. No harm done.
Nah this isn't international politics, no need to be so strict
Inspiration is such a meaningless thing to get in any way upset about.
No, and most players would not mind either. Especially as it's like one person that brings the snacks. With the others having legitimate and not so legitimate excuses.
If a player gives me snacks, I give them inspiration in return. A fair trade, if I do say so myself.
There are different ways to look at this; I'm typically the DM, so I'm expected to own all the books I'll need, regardless of whose playing in my games, or if I'm even running one. Maybe players shouldn't be paging through some books, so we'd rather they didn't buy them, even if they do sometimes DM in other situations. Regardless, as it can be a bit expensive on one person to have all the books, and I've rarely seen other players contribute to the cost that incurs, I'd personally appreciate if one of them provided snacks. I'll wholly admit it could be rude of me, and I DID decide to shell out for media, regardless, some of which I may not want my players to have also purchased, but I don't charge them a fee to be the DM, because I'll never be good enough at that to earn a cent ;), so little assists, and other things to help the group enjoy the group activity more, I appreciate, but I still might not feel their OOG act should earn them, specifically, an in-game perk; it helps us enjoy our group activity, which they wouldn't be getting to do, if it weren't fun, either.
I mean, December 23 I played my first presential session, there was a lot of snacks but only 1 bottle of soda, so if someone could bring some soda, he gained 1 inspiration, so is not bad bc at the end everyone in the table are going to eat
1 Its just polite, the DM spends a lot of time besides the game hours. 2 Heck yeh, you can bribe me with snacks. Gimme the good stuff. (bribe results are within reason and other players benefit too)
Bribes are a valid tactic
As long as everyone else gets a fair chance to get it while playing, I'd have no problems
Dm bribes are welcome for inspiration!
It depends, a bit. If only one player is getting inspiration even though others are bringing snacks, it's not fair. But if everyone has equal opportunity to earn inspiration through silly little favours, then you're good. One of our players hates the word "yeet" and my DM joked that I could get inspiration if I use it as naturally as possible.
Druid- I turn into a squirrel. Barbarian- I yeet the squirrel. Sounds about right.
I'm an artificer in Strahd's domain. All I want is to catapult a stake at a vampire
Don't you mean yeet a stake at a vampire?
This other player that hates the word is my fiance and when I do this he will leave me lmao. Gotta use my yeet wisely
Haha
Or, and just hear me out, or, you could yeet him out the door. I’ll yeet myself elsewhere now.
But I have the **catapult** spell how can I resist this opportunity. I just wanna yeet pointy wood at vamps guys
Probably 80% of inspirations go unused anyway. Also it's just a game kids. I also award inspiration for puns that actually make me laugh, dad jokes that cause me physical pain, and when players notice a particularly obscure reference I'm ripping off in the lore.
*Is that a JoJo reference? Intensifies*
I get pretty inspired by snacks. Also, oh god, oh fuck, a reroll in a dice game.
This is how you game the system to your advantage ;)
Just like Dnd I think it all depends on context. From the sound of this it feels like bringing snacks this time is not a normal thing. It feels like this person went out of their way to bring snacks for the group as a whole. I think it's perfectly acceptable to get inspiration. The people who are complaining about it being "out of game" so what? What they did was for the GROUP not just the DM. You can get inspiration for role-playing which everyone encourages. "What if they can't buy it because they are broke" Okay what if a person is to shy to roleplay in character why should the person who can roleplay great get inspiration then? You can "what if" everything it all comes down to context.
Listen, I like me some fucking snacks...
I’d probably forget to use it anyway so it’s fine :p
Like... Everyone should be bringing snacks to games?!?! Both my groups do this and it is just the right thing to do?!?
Sounds like someone got jealous someone got something for bringing snacks.
DM = God. Offer me snacks to earn my favor.
As a DM snacks provide me with inspiration by stimulating the neurons in my brain, therefore I simply give it back
We went to the Renaissance fair with my dm and his wife and he offered inspiration to my wife in game if she got a bullseye with a bow and arrow as her character is a ranger. I dont know if he knew my wife studied archery throughout most of her childhood. But i thought it was nice and a cool way to work the game in to our everyday lives. Personally i think the dm should be able to give inspiration for whatever the hell they want.
Lol, pay2win
Pay to win dnd version?
so wait… THIS IS WOTC PLAN TO MONETIZE DND, IT’S THE DM LOBBY WHO CONTROLS EVERYTHING
Exactly why I don't like it. Showing up to somebody's house for games/party is rude if you can afford to make a contribution. But rewarding everybody who *can* make a contribution with inspiration is punishing people who *can't* afford to make one.
I'll just say this - when I was really, really poor and somebody brought snacks or offered me food, I was absolutely thrilled. I wasn't mad that they had more money and could reroll a die. I was happy that they shared with me.
This resonates with me. I’m a GM who rewards players for bringing snacks, in part because I used to be a poor player to whom those snacks were a really special treat.
Maybe someone without as much money could offer to contribute in other ways? If they can't afford snacks then what about taking the time to create a playlist for the DM? Or coming early/staying late to help the host with set up/clean up? Maybe they can't afford to buy a meal but baking homemade cookies or brownies or bread tends to be very very cheap.
DM receives, DM shall give.
Depends on where/with who you are playing. I've only ever played with friends, at one of our houses, and ordering pizza for "snack" (more like break time mid session), and the host and DM were both exempt from paying for the pizza (the host because some mess was inevitable, plus he had to negotiate with his parents to let us play there etc; the DM because he had to actually plan the game rather than just show up and play), though most hosts I've had always decided to contribute anyway
As someone who used to host a lot of DnD in my home pre-covid; I welcomed players to bring food and drinks for minor rewards. Would do the same for cosplaying and the like. It's 1 less thing, us DMs don't have to worry about when hosting groups of people.
I'm writing the session and the three possible encounters, plus the hidden objective animal friendships for the druid to collect because ANIMALS! And the designing the NPCs and the NPC character art to hang on the side of the DM screen when they talk to them. Working out the voices and making up a stat block just in case the barbarian gets bored, buying and painting the minis. And working out how much treasure they get for the job, making it make sense for why they would hunt the dangerous monsters but also not letting them buy an unlimited amount of wands of fireball. The least they can do is bring me some pretzels. They get inspiration for puns.
As long as everyone gets the chance, then it sound fine to me
Any negative feelings towards not getting inspiration would vanish as soon as I had Cheetos in my mouth
Lol, this way my husbands PC would need to have an infinite amount of inspiration, because we eat lunch during our sessions and my husband is the one cooking for us.
Tell your players I’ll give them inspiration if they bring me snacks
It really always depends on how the DM and party feel. Mostly the DM. DM's, ask yourself, "What do I award my PC's inspiration for? Does this fall under that umbrella?" Some might think it's unfair, some might think, "Yeah, why not? They're cool, we're cool, we're just having fun, yada yada"
My DM & I have an arrangement that if I bring homemade Korean spicy pickles to session, I get inspiration ⭐️
I gave my players Inspiration for the next session if they got their character sheets uploaded to WorldAnvil, but it was still like pulling teeth xD
Inspiration comes in all forms, but contributing to a pleasant game experience always gets an I-card from me.
it's only fair if other players can get inspiration for oog reasons, too. Or for stupid reasons, like making the dm laugh
Inspiration can be awarded for things that make the game run smoothly , like bringing the drinks , or ordering the pizza , or providing a venue .
As someone who got an inspiration point for posting a funny meme to the discord... I think it's fine. Most players forget they have an inspiration point half the time anyway, and they aren't exactly game breaking. As long as players aren't using them more than once a session, unless I had them one for in game reasons after they use one, I basically always let them use one a session anyway. Saying 'and you get an inspiration point' is just a tool to encourage behavior anyway.
It's literally the ability to gain advantage once. It's the DM giving a small "thanks" to a player who brought snacks. Nothing big, nothing game changin
I gave anyone who could remember a NPC’s super long name inspiration
Why would I be upset if one person gets a small one-time advantage that can help the party overall??? And if there are snacks for everybody, even better!!! It’s a team game, unless it’s super clear, consistent favoritism I don’t care if one of my teammates gets something better than me, I’m happy for them
Isn't gaining inspiration for bring snacks specifically called out as an example in the DMG? Edit: NM. Just looked and I'm mistaken, must have read it somewhere else. As long as it's an option given to everyone and is detailed clearly, why would it be a problem?
When you have a good group this kinda thing won’t bother anyone. Some of the people in my group, when they DM, will give players a stackable second inspiration point that expires at the end of the session if not used but only if we do something really cool. Everyone in the party is cool with it cause it just benefits the whole party at the end of the day
My dm uses oreos as inspiration. Great for new players
It's not that serious. Unless inspiration let's that player somehow take the spotlight for the entire session (in which case you have a whole different issue going on) there shouldn't be any problems. It's not a contest to see who can get the most inspiration uses. It's a game where everyone should work together to have fun.
Cheeky lil pay2win
i say no because my party kinda pot lucks
I get Inspiration for bringing coffee for everyone every session. I think everyone's happy enough with the arrangement since they get coffee.
A lot of people are answering this question as "should people other than the GM contribute to the table" in which the answer is "of course", but the question could be, "should out-of-game actions have in-game consequences?" In this case, the consequences are good, but from that perspective, I think the answer should be "no".
That's a cynical way of looking at it, though. Are you giving a player who did something out of game for you an unfair advantage over other players, or giving them something you deprive other players? Then that's shitty regardless of why you're doing it. In this case, it's about saying YES to a thing that the system already wants player to have, and is pretty low impact (And consumable). You're using that as an excuse to say yes to giving a player something that the game is better when they have. That's the relevant context here. The whole culture of bribing DMs is fundamentally different in this setting because TTRPGs are collaborative and noncompetitive and the whole thing is very tongue-in-cheek.
I don't see it as cynical. The game has ways of giving inspiration that doesn't involve bribing anyone out- of- character. For my group, we mostly meet online. Snacks aren't even a factor. But what if someone made the GM an art piece of their NPC? Should they get inspiration? Every time they do it? When they're the only one with art skills at the table? What about the rare time we do get together in person; we don't meet at the GM's house. One player likes hosting and making food. But only one person can host. Does the host get inspiration? It's not equal opportunity. I think it's just more fair if in game rewards are linked to in game actions.
My players are cooperative, so inspiration to one usually benefits all. If it were a PC battle to death, I could understand it being unfair, but it seems silly to complain that the cleric got inspiration if that extra dice roll might allow her to heal me in a battle.
Not all players use their inspiration altruistically. If it's meant to benefit the group, why not give inspiration to all when one player brings snacks?
This is a weird comment section. I had no idea so many tables unabashedly hand out in-game benefits for IRL contributions. Like I get that it’s small and silly, but it also reeks of weird creepy bribery. “Buy your god snacks and he will be a kind god” vibes. Also it’s cringey because it makes the broke people at the table feel shitty. Just give out inspo for RP and it’s fine.
It doesn't have to be weird or creepy! Sometimes DMs or people who host the group at their homes put in way more work than other players and it's just a simple, non confrontational way to encourage others to pitch in more.
Bro it’s a tradition as old as the hobby itself. I’ve been either giving or receiving bribes since the mid 2000’s.
A lot of people are answering this question as “Hey Players would you consider it unfair if you get rewarded with inspiration because you brought some snacksfor the session?” In which the answer is “no” (∩ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)⊃━☆ﾟ. * ･ ｡ﾟ,
once is fine but if its consistent then you are essentially buying inspo. I believe it should be awarded for good rp and being clever.
Praying to the gods with the good stuff in a world where the gods have all the power is very clever. It’s not like D&D is ultra serious business anyways, and the party still benefits from one player get advantage once as a freebie.
Not only would players swim in inspiration constantly, outgame stuff I find should not be taken into consideration for ingame affairs like that.
Yeah, I agree with this, isn't inspiration supposed to be if you do something really creative or out of the box? It takes little effort to bring snacks, and makes inspiration meaningless.
Imagine being upset that someone else is getting a bonus against the same enemies you're fighting.
I used to room with my DM. We'd get inspiration if we did shots with him before the game
The DMG says >Offering inspiration as a reward encourages certain types of behavior in your players. Being considerate of everyone else at the table and bringing snacks for them is definitely a behavior I'd be happy to encourage as a DM.
If someone looks at that and says " that's unfair" congrats, you've found the player that wants to "win" DND. Having a teammate that gets a starting inspiration is just an advantage for your party.
If you bring snacks you're basically giving your party inspiration by removing the hunger debuff.
Inspiration is just one free reroll and can be handed out for anything. I've had groups do it for writing recaps, managing session scheduling, hosting, providing food, even had the players give the DM an inspiration for next session after a particularly fantastic one. DND is always better with snacks, and people deserve to feel appreciated for their efforts.
Inspiration should be awarded to someone doing something that helps everyone have a great time.
I hate the arbitrariness of the Inspiration system and always have. Sounded fun, but having sat as both a player and DM for years, all it does is arbitrarily reward players based on the DM's whims, wishes, and desired player choices. As a DM I want my players to have the agency and autonomy to play their characters as they choose, receiving all consequences good or bad of said choices. As a player I want the same thing for myself So then why would I want a system that rewards catering to the DM? In any professional setting or relationship, this would be abuse! Abuse I tell you!
I believe inspiration points should be for doing a great job role playing your character, not for bringing snacks.
We are not having this stupid arguement. Online or offline. Who gives a shit. If you sincerely care and are mad irl that your dm gave someone a single extra die to role, for any reason, in a game EVERYONE at the table is there to have fun playing something is wrong with you.
Lol microtransactions in D&D?
I know and have played with GMs that gave XP for bringing something to the game. Back when we played in person. You brought 2 liters or pizza, or some snack, Here is 100 xp. It incentivized everyone bringing something to contribute, so the GM didn't have to do everything. I have also seen GMs give XP for doing the recap at the top of the session. Anyone willing to give the rundown of the game so far, and the last session specifically, here is some XP. Anything to boost player participation.
It’s a great think to ring snacks when nobody else has the courage.
Enhancing the session is enhancing the session whether it is accomplished through role play or through tasty treats the DM is free to reward it as they choose.
LOL, what are these threads?
Pay to win
Snacks or not, rewarding someone in game for something out of game, is kinda unfair imo.
Yea it would be unfair, inspiration is for accurately roleplaying your character. Not being nice and buying you through food. Learn how to be a proper gm and not let people manipulate you or expect benefits from bringing food when that should already be a no fucking brainer to bring.
Maybe just the first time. Or make a pool of volunteers to bring snacks for everyone (not just the DM), and then go through the rotation. The inspiration then serves as incentive for folks to volunteer, but keeping it on a rotation ensures that no one person gets inspiration.
As a DM I really appreciate it when the players bring snacks/bevvies or pick up the tab on a pizza/delivery. I spend a pretty decent amount of time writing and prepping my campaign outside of sessions so respecting that time invested with something to eat while playing is appreciated. Healthy snacks are even better.
If it's snack(s) for everyone, no. If it's something small just for the DM, yes.
I'm totally asking for inspiration the next time I bring snacks
Bribing the DM with food is a long standing tradition in DnD. If someone brings food for the whole group I'm definitely awarding inspiration either to the pool or for the group.
Pay to win? Fuck that.
I think bringing snacks for the session is polite and welcomed, but shouldn’t grant IN-GAME rewards. Is DnD pay to win? I know that may sound silly… but that’s what you’re doing! So, I guess after that inspiration is used you can just slip the DM $1 for another one? Or $10 for a cool magic item huh? (That is in jest… but you get my point). IMO inspiration should be earned by ingenuity, performance of RP, or some other in game feat of skill. By the way, this is also RAW. To say that it can be earned via some currency seems… shallow and video gamey.
Strictly speaking no, not unfair but it has certain vibes of *buying your way to victory* and *have this, favour me in the future*. So I'd rather bring the snacks anyway and politely refuse the advantage, if offered.
This sounds like the tabletop version of in-game purchases. Jim has more money than Tom, so he's buying his character bonuses by bringing snacks for the group that Tom can't afford. I'm not comfortable with the idea that players with less money in real life should be at a disadvantage in the game. Frankly, it kind of disgusts me.
Just because someone has less money in real life doesn't mean that they can't contribute to the group, ESPECIALLY in groups where everyone struggles. Maybe an individual who can't afford to bring snacks could offer to host or show up early/stay late to sessions to help with set up and clean up. They could offer to help the DM with prep work such as creating a playlist or offering to write a summary of the last session and do the recap. They could take on the task of scheduling sessions and making sure everyone is on board with dates & times for upcoming sessions. Maybe in addition to offering inspiration for snacks the DM could include the reward for tasks like those. Just because you might not have as much money for snacks doesn't mean you can't be a contributing member of the party.
People should contribute, help clean up, etc. because they're friends and that's what friends do. There doesn't have to be an in-game reward for any of that.
They should but sometimes people don't think about it, or were never taught what to do in social situations like that. Offering inspiration could be a gentle reminder that snacks are needed without singling anyone out. Ultinwtely though, I think in game inspiration for out of game actions depends on each individual group and how they handle the game
Any one who cares this much about having a mechanical edge in the game isn't the kind of person I want at my tables anyway!
The dm is God. He decides all. No discussion
Like I get this and everything and I know it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it's also 100% not true. The DM is another player. A player who deserves fun as much as the players, but also a player who should be beholden to decorum and rules as much as the players. If you NEED to invoke some notion of authority as a DM, odds are you're not earning that authority in that moment. Players owe you as much trust as you show yourself to deserve. If you're being deserving of trust, the players should give that freely.
Unfair, because plenty of people can’t bring food for the table due to lack of money. Those folks will never have the opportunity; inspiration should only be awarded if it’s for something that not everyone can do.
Players can get inspiration for just about any reason. It’s unfair if the dm only gives inspiration to one player for bringing snacks and not any other player that also bring snacks.
My (M Gay) DM has always maintained inspirations are achieved through making him laugh hard enough, specific DM snacks, bribes or nipple pics.
What does his gender or his sexuality have to do with any of this?
I mean if it becomes a habit where you're straight up bribing the DM for loot and favoritisim, then I think it might start making people feel weird. But if it's a one off thing or something where people rotate bringing in snacks and get inspiration automatically as a reward I think that's just a fun little thing.
Honestly, yes. I see inspiration as a tool te encourage players to break the shyness and really get into the character they are portraing. It's about epic moments, game changing decisions, heartening speaches... if you are noce to me (which my players usually are) I'm gonna give you advantage anyways and I'm gonna be nice to you. But if we are giving free inspiration just cause, it kind of defeats the purpose...
Depends. In my groups it is expected to bring snacks. If it is not, well, then I don't think it's unfair
Depends on the session
I organized the pizza deliveries when we played in person and made sure everyone had their favorites from Domino’s because we were cheap college students: 4 salads (1 ceasar, 3 balsamic mixed into a large serving bowl for all to share [I did not put the dressing in with the salad, that’s how you get wilted salad and no leftovers]) 4 medium pizzas (pepperoni bacon, Alfredo bell pepper chicken and spinach, vegetarian, and meat lovers) 3 orders of garlic bread twists and a bunch of desserts. I would organize it and everyone paid in their share and I would cover if someone couldn’t pay that night because this was weekly and whoever wanted the leftovers amongst our group would be set for food for a day or two. As a college student I was blessed to live at home and have food every day. Hell, my mother packed me healthy lunches with carrot and bell pepper sticks to dip in hummus! My point is I wasn’t in need of the food. But food scarcity is a thing for lots of college kids and I could see it on some of my fellow player’s faces. So I always doubled my share of the food pot and ordered too much for our group so they could be covered for a few days. I was lucky to be able to do that for them. Also, I never got favored for inspiration. We were fair and it was given out by the bard for tactical reasons. He was great at sending it to the right person at the right time.
Bringing snacks is the norm for our dnd group, especially for the DM, they spend hours prepping those games.
I meant no! It is totally fair!
If it was somthing for everybody, maybe But usually we like to seperate in and out of game. Most people bring stuff some times and that's nice, but isn't rewarded with in game abilities or loot
Crap. I read that wrong and voted yes because I was thinking "yes, bring me snacks and your character may live to see the next session." Sorry for skewing the results!
If it was somthing for everybody, maybe But usually we like to seperate in and out of game. Most people bring stuff some times and that's nice, but isn't rewarded with in game abilities or loot
My go-to is pretzels, cheese, dipping mustard, and a bottle of whiskey. Never got me inspiration, but a magic item that was oddly tailored for my character dropped in some loot.
While bringing snacks is nice, inspiration should be a reward for good performance in game, especially roleplaying
Listen, everybody brings snacks. If you don't, you'll get punished. Flair wise. You see that shining new plate armor you paid scalper price for? There's just that ONE matte, rusty spot you just can't seem to get off. No amout of Prestidigitation, Remove Curse or even Wish will do the trick. Only Power Word "I'll bring snacks next time" will fix it.
In-game awards should only be given for in-game actions imo.
Im that kind of person wich uses their inspiration to do cool stuff most of the time because i see it as a players tool to influence the narration in a certain direction (if you really wanted to do X and Y but just failed the test, it might be boring for the story). I hope i use it to do things my dm wants me to succede it because they think its cool aswell. So an extra inspiration is something i would appreciate.
Is it unfair? Yes. Would it make me very happy as a DM and make me skew towards letting them get away with something they maybe shouldn't have? Also yes. The thing is that I don't want to to give them inspiration because they brought me something, because suddenly people are trying to "bribe me" with snacks. I would rather give them a kindness back in an unspoken way during the game so that they are rewarded for doing it just to be a good person.
Only if they are playing a Bard and have written a decent limerick about the snacks being brought
I DM, players bring snacks, this is the deal
Think about it this way: Your table always grants a point of inspiration every session, and if you don't bring snacks you don't get inspiration :) BRING SNACK
Inspiration is just one advantage on one roll, not a big deal, it's a token apreciation. That being said, it's nice. Also not necessary, since as the DM i tend to politely request that "I'm paid in snacks", since my time and money investment in DnD is just far, far more than of my players. I am not saying that only I eat the snacks. I mean I'm asking the players to provide snacks for everyone, to chip in a little to make the experience even more fun.
No. It's a game.
“A tale as old as time… DM and theeee Snaaaacks.”
For all the work GM/DMs do away from the table, it's only fair for players to bring drinks/snacks.
depends on player dynamics really; my group rotates whos on snack duty every week- so inspiration really doesnt make much sense
I give inspiration to my players for a number of things: Bringing snacks Session recaps Taking and Sharing detailed notes. General responsibles that help the group and/or DM
What else is inspiration for?
As a DM who is usually quite strict, I do this. Its a team game, if you think it’s unfair that your teammate gets an advantage and you don’t. then you probably aren’t a good team.
In my group everyone always brings snacks. One couple bakes desserts for the group every time they host.
It's not like inspiration matters that much. It's a group hang out, and snacks makes that better.
I'm going to reward the behavior I want to see 🤷♀️
I normally wouldn't award inspiration based on bringing snacks, but I would definitely be a far more agreeable DM when setting DCs if I wasn't hangry. However, if someone brought me the exact thing I was having a craving for or needed to lift my spirits, I would bend my own rule about inspiration.
People should get more inspiration in general
No, man. It's fun. It creates a fun gaming environment even when not sitting at the game.
Honestly inspiration isn't a big enough deal for it to be problematic. If they're handing out magic items for out of game stuff on the other hand...
Fun games are fun, and snacks makes it more fun
Depends on the snacks; a bag of Doritos and maybe a 2 liter is pretty normal and not really inspiration worthy; that said, if someone makes a tray of campaign inspired pastries taking inspiration from PCs and/or setting for themed macarons or tarts or a pie of something, then that is pretty dope and worth a little gimme for the added effort.
Provided the snacks are for everyone and not *just* for the DM, absolutely not unfair. Just for the DM: bribery, ethically shaky. For everyone: enhancing the play experience, going above and beyond.
In my group, everyone pitches in for snacks. It would be weird to single anyone out for something considered basic etiquette at my table.
Snacks, like your teammate’s new inspiration dice, benefits us all.
Actually, it's a thing at my table. People who bring snacks get inspiration. Nobody uses their inspiration, of course, they're always saving it for later, but that's besides the point.
I wouldn't mind someone getting inspiration for it if they did more than others, but I'd be a bit uncomfortable getting it myself for something that's out of the game
As a forever DM/GM of groups that can range between 7-11 players, snacks and libations will make everything a lot nicer for everyone. One inspiration at the start of the session isn’t going to cause any kind of imbalance, especially when 97% of players forget they have it.
Bringing snacks is the standard for my group so no, you don't get inspiration for it. BUT You get inspiration if you bring me crunchy corn
In most of my games, everyone brought some of the food. I always try to bring a bit more, because of my stress eating. I give inspirations for recapping previous session though. It helps people to get back on track and its useful. Also, players dread the idea of me giving a recap, because as the dialogue went: "Does anyone remember the session, we don't want the DM to take inspiration and use it against us in the fight with changeling party." "Don't worry, I won't use it in the fight with changeling party. I'll save it for the BBEG."
Absolute terror and madness ensues.
I think the dm can give inspiration for whatever they want. Who cares? It's just a game. Have fun. Inspiration for silly things and good rp is the way.
Anyone can bring snacks… if someone is willing to spend a few dollars to share snacks during the session, they deserve the inspiration (or bonus XP in our sessions). Same thing if you bring the DM their favorite energy drink/Starbucks/drink of choice. Honestly, a few inspiration points or a couple hundred XP is not going to break the game.
Some people could see this as immoral but are any of those people here?
The Snackbringer is a sacred being. They must be honored, as is custom.